WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The National Association for Veterans Rights (NAVR) is closing out its most impactful year to date, marked by major progress in strengthening consumer protections for Veterans and establishing clear, enforceable standards for organizations assisting them with disability benefits. In 2025, NAVR led a coordinated national effort that resulted in the passage of the SAVE Act and parallel legislation in eight states: Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Tennessee. These state laws protect Veterans’ right to choose who assists them with their benefits while creating guardrails that ensure only reputable companies operate in this space.
Building on this momentum, NAVR released its 2025 National Compliance Manual on November 1. The Framework provides NAVR members with an authoritative guide to the statutory and regulatory requirements established under the SAVE Act and similar laws across all eight states. By setting expectations that exceed state law, NAVR-aligned companies ensure they meet the highest standards of integrity, transparency, data security, and ethical conduct. It is the first nationwide system designed to promote consistent, state-level compliance while giving Veterans confidence that the organizations they rely on operate responsibly and lawfully.
The SAVE Act addresses a longstanding regulatory gap by establishing clear oversight of claims-assistance companies — a sector historically overlooked at the federal level. While federal law regulates accredited agents and attorneys, the SAVE Act provides the additional guardrails needed in the broader marketplace. These protections include strict fee limitations, contract and disclosure requirements, data-handling safeguards, and mechanisms for state enforcement. Together, these measures ensure Veterans receive honest, transparent support from trusted providers.
States that enacted the SAVE Act and similar legislation have adopted some of the strongest consumer safeguards in the country. Several states require heightened data-security standards, including prohibitions on overseas data handling and HIPAA-level protections for Veteran information. Others mandate debt forgiveness under specific circumstances or provide additional protections for recently discharged service members. These policies reflect a growing national commitment to improving the claims-assistance environment and ensuring Veterans receive the clarity and protections they deserve.
NAVR is now working to advance the SAVE Act in at least a dozen additional states in 2026, continuing a reform movement that is reshaping the landscape of Veterans’ claims assistance nationwide. Each new state that adopts these standards further strengthens Veteran protections and expands access to trusted, accountable support.
“With the SAVE Act and NAVR’s national standards working together, Veterans finally have both freedom of choice and true peace of mind,” said Peter O’Rourke, President of NAVR, a Veteran of both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, and former Acting Secretary and Chief of Staff of the VA. “They can trust that the companies supporting them in NAVR’s alliance meet the highest levels of integrity, accountability, and respect for those who served.”
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